Ultralight Tent options

Can't do better than this excellent comparison by John Abela:
http://hikelighter.com/2011/12/29/sulxul-enclosed-shelter-comparisons/

1) SMD Cuben Haven w/ Net Tent

2) Big Sky International UL Tents

3) Big Agnes Ultralight Tents

4) Henry Shires Tarp Tent

5) Go Lite Tents

I have a BSI tent and it’s pretty amazing for the weight (or rather, the lack of weight). Very comfortable, large, and convenient (2 vestibules, 2 doors).

The link Chris sent, points to the SilNylon Haven which ways 18 oz.
Here is the correct link to the Cuben Haven which ways only 10 oz.

I own both the SMD Cuben Haven + Haven NetTent as well as the SMD Gatewood Cape + Serenity Net. I also have the Big Agnes FlyCreek UL2.

The weights are as follows

1) FlyCreek UL2: 42 oz
2) Cuben Haven (10) + Haven NetTent (16) + Stakes (2) = 28 oz
3) Gatewood Cape (11) + Serenety Net (8) + Stakes (2) = 21 oz

The FlyCreek UL2 and the Haven are 2 person tents. The Cuben Haven offers way more space and headroom for way less weight, so I prefer it.
Ideally I would like to see from SMD a 1 person NetTent as an option for the Cuben Haven. Assuming it weighs 8 oz like my Serenity net, I could use the Haven as a 20 oz one person tent or as a 28 two person tent. The Gatewood Cape is most likely too claustrophobic for you – it is truly a one person tent.
I have no personal experience with the SMD Skyscape X and the Lightheart Solo and Lightheart Solong 6, but I suggest you look at them too.

Best Regards,

Manfred

Thanks folks

what is the major difference between BG Fly creek UL and these cottage manufactured tents/tarps. More I look into these light tent options more I'm getting confused.

The main difference that I can think of without consulting the specs sheet, is that the Fly Creek only has one door.

Try not to get overwhelmed. Find, say, 4 options that interest you. Lay out all their specs into a document, weight, material, features, single-wall vs. double-wall, trekking poles vs. dedicated poles, freestanding vs. non, etc.

If you need help figuring out what any of those terms mean, googling will yield tons of results. Andrew Skurka's gear guide by National Geographic also does a good job explaining the differences in types of shelters, both tents and not.

Here are two more options. The first (like some of the other suggestions) requires trekking poles, which will add to the expense. The second option is maybe not-so-proven.

LightHeart Gear
http://lightheartgear.com

Easton Mountain Products
http://eastonmountainproducts.com/tent/tent-cat

Of the choices listed, I would say that the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL 2 Tent meets your requirements the best. It is well-proven, factory seam-sealed, and can be found for right around $300. When you add in the cost of the trekking poles that many of the other tents require, they would be well above $300.

I think the main difference that can be confusing between tents like the Big Agenes FlyCreek UL2 and the SMD Cuben Haven is the use of trekking poles for setting up the Haven. Because I use trekking poles anyways when backpacking, this saves a lot of weight. The FlyCreek has its own tent poles. The "downside" of this is that the Haven is not freestanding. You need to stake it down. The FlyCreek can theoretically be set up without stakes, which allows you to move it around or to set up easier on a granite slab.
Both tents allow you to just take the outer tent and leave the inner tent at home, when you don't have to deal with bugs. This bring down the weight of the Cuben Haven to 10 oz (+ 2 oz for the stakes), while the FlyCreek is still over 2 lbs.
The FlyCreek has only a door in the front, while the Haven has a door on each side, which is most likely irrelevant since you are looking for a one-person tent. The Haven offers 53 sq ft of room (29 in tent + 2 vestibles of 12) compared to 35 sq ft (28 in the tent + 7 vestibule) for the FlyCreek.

I hope that helps,

Manfred

I'm still trying to decide on a solo tent myself. I do use poles, so I have that option. But when I go on hikes away from camp, I like to use them. So it looks like I'm leaning towards a TT Rainbow

I'm keeping an eye on the rainbow as well, but it has no rainfly and wonder how well it handles rain Oregon.

I have a Rainbow, and I slept in it two nights ago in constant rain. Once you seam seal it (which TarpTent can do for you for a small fee), it is excellent in the rainy weather. Here in NW Montana this time of year, it rains most days–very different than farther east where the climate can be drier. I did get some condensation on the inside of the tent (it is single wall) but it was very manageable, and almost every sleeping bag has DWR (durable water repellant) which could handle the minor moisture I had inside. I didn't miss a double wall tent in the least. There was plenty of space to spread out for one person (normally, my wife and I share it). Great tent for those conditions.

What do you mean when you say that the TT Rainbow doesn't have a rainfly? Our Philmont Crew brought last summer a TT Double Rainbow along. It is a hybrid tent, so you don't have a double walled tent, where you can just take the rainfly and leave the inner nettent at home. May be that is what you mean.
The TT Double Rainbow certainly held up to the rain storms at Philmont last summer.

Manfred

"but it has no rainfly …"

I see this kind of description every so often and I think it has to do with the American idea that the tent is what the rest of the world calls an "inner" .
Single wall tents (or hybrids like the Rainbows) only have a rain fly, they lack the inner…
to illustrate , take a tent like this :

remove the inner but attach a floor like this :

now put some mesh between the floor and the fly and you have a tarp tent…
Franco
I see Manfred covered that as I was typing…

I haven't used it yet but I would look into the Skyscape Trekker by Six Moons Design.
It only weighs 24 oz. before tent stakes and it uses a trekking pole set up. It has tons of room when I set it up in my back yard and SilNet only costs $5 at REI. I will be using it this summer and it seems like it will work great. Oh yeah you also have to get your groundcloth from Home Depot. It was only $240 which is cheaper the Big Agnes.

yes I was thinking about the Lunar Solo or Scout tent options, I'm wondering about the learning curve to master using and handling these thin materials, considering I am still a newbie with some day hikes and car camping experience.

thanks for the rain fly knowledge :) I thought they didn't come with extra rain fly like the traditional tents.

Should also be considered. I tried the Scout model out (33oz.) to see how I liked it, and I love it. I am on the list for the Cuben fiber "X" model. I think, in your range, the Trekker model at 24 oz. (add 3.6 oz. for carbon fiber poles and 4.6 – I think – for aluminum if you don't use poles, I don't always). After trying and dismissing most tarp / single wall configurations for my uses, the Skyscape configuration left me with that '"where have you been all my life" feeling. I cannot recommend them enough. At under 34 oz. I lovey scout and will shell out the $450 for the cuben version once they are in stock. Happy huntIng.

EDIT: So easy. My first pitch was fast and stayed taught through 35+ MPH winds all night. This tent Also fully converts to netting as if it were a standard double-wall tent with the fly off. Also pitches taught with 5 stakes (3 uncovered if no moisture), never needing more.

complete with lines, seam sealing, GG ground sheet etc. weighs about 18 oz.

You didn't say tall you are, but I find it plenty roomy. At 5'-2'', I have almost 2 feet extra length overall.

Well, you are correct- they DON'T come with a separate extra rainfly. But you should think of a tarptent differently than other tents.

Instead, think of them as ONLY a rainfly, with a integrated floor/footprint attached to the lower edge of the rainfly with mesh to keep the bugs out.

What they LACK is a mesh inner tent. So if there is condensation on the inside of the "fly" it can drip directly onto you, whereas in a traditional double-walled tent it will drip onto the mesh inner and possibly not pass through to drip on you. Also, if you roll around in your sleeping bag in a normal tent you would just rub against the mesh inner tent, but in a tarptent you could potentially brush against the inside of the fly when it is wet with condensation.

This is why we obsess about condensation…

If you are considering a 2 person UL tent for more space – i have a brand new MSR Carbon Reflex 2 that i can sell. I have a one man tent and a bigger 2 man tent, so have no need for this unused UL tent. It it the green fly version.

It comes in at slighly over 3Lbs with sacks, manual, etc, but will go into sub 3lb if you remove the extras.

Let me know

26 ounces including stakes, which are included. Double wall, fully enclosed, very stable, requires only four stakes to set up, and does use trekking poles or you can get poles for it too. Great usable vestibule space and one of the most innovative one-man tent designs for sure. Can be used as a net tent only or a tarp only. Look at the setup video for this one and you'll see what a great option it is.

linky: http://tarptent.com/notch.html#videos

You already have a lot to consider. Not sure that any of the options listed in Cuban will be at your price point.

Also not all listed weights are the same. Make sure you include stakes as some don't.

If you leave behind some of the "extras" (use 6 pegs, no stuff sacks etc.), my Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 weighs in at 33 oz. Good width and the length is OK for anybody up to 6 ft tall. Not much headroom but manageable. I think the Fly Creek UL2 is only 4 oz heavier if you leave the same extras at home (a previous poster said 42 oz but that must include all stuff sacks and pegs etc.). I believe BPL weighed it in at around 37 oz.

If you want more room, look at the new Seedhouse UL1. It's been made lighter this year has much more room than the Fly Creek UL1 and not much heavier. Cheaper than the Fly Creek too.